


Expressions of interest

by Redclaire999



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Mild Language, Mutual Pining, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redclaire999/pseuds/Redclaire999
Summary: Everything I've never done I want to do with you.orThe more you hide your feelings for someone, the more you fall for them.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 18
Kudos: 65





	Expressions of interest

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short-ish fun one on a very busy week, while still working (slowly) on my other one!!  
> As always please feel free to comment, I love feedback!!

The first time it happened was at the Hawaiian-themed house party Vance had thrown for his daughter Kayla’s twenty-first birthday. All the team were invited, probably to have as many law enforcement eyes on the young people attending, make sure nothing inappropriate happened.

They were supposed to be checking the dark corners of the garden for kids hitting first base in the shrubberies. Instead Nick’s hand on her hip as they goofed around to some twerky RnB tune had them both getting unexpectedly hot and heavy with each other and led to a spontaneous dash to the moonlit, faux-Victorian garden summerhouse, their bodies a tangle of limbs as they clutched and groped until their clothes were just a hindrance to their desire.

She hadn’t anticipated being the one abruptly fumbling to open Nick’s belt and fly buttons, as his warm hands raced up her thighs, tugging down her lace underwear until they slipped down her legs. She kicked them away, thanking the unseasonably warm weather for allowing her to choose a short tea-dress this late in September. His mouth found hers again and he tasted of spiced rum and fresh lime. Her hands finally pushed his jeans and boxers down, demanding he quit teasing and show her his skills he’d been alluding to earlier. He barely had time to roll on the condom before she sheathed herself on him, taking a deep breath as her body adapted to his size. Pushing him back onto the cushions she awkwardly straddling him on the floral covered sofa driving her pelvis into him until they both felt the release they needed. Afterwards, they laughed at the ridiculous lapse of judgement, sneaked out together and rejoined the party.

Ellie would admit she had maybe not been the initiator, but she had unquestionably been the managing director of round one.

The second time was later that week, and on this occasion, _he_ was definitely to blame. They had been eyeballing each other across the bullpen for days since the party, Nick upping his standard flirt level to damn near devilish and she matched him in her countering suggestive replies. They got as far as the stairwell of the basement carpark on their way home on Friday evening before he had her up against the cold, concrete wall, her long skirt crumpled up to her waist as he grabbed her ass, her legs wrapped around his hips. Only a brief glance between them giving him the go-ahead and his confident fingers pulled her underwear aside as he pushed himself inside her. There were no security cameras there, but the staff carpark was hardly discreet. Anyone on any level of the staircase would have heard their echoing moans. She forced his hardness deeper within herself by tilting her hips hurrying him to their mutual climax before they got caught.

Both satisfied they righted themselves and continued out to their cars parked alongside as if nothing had happened, bar the furtive, naughty glances at each other as they turned their respective ignitions. She’d never done anything so outrageously carnal in her life, they’d both be fired for doing _that_ on government property.

And she knew she’d do it again in a heartbeat, regardless of the risk.

The third time it happened was in her apartment the following Wednesday night. It had become a kind of habit between them over the past few months to take turns to host a take-out and movie or episode binge night of the latest Netflix hit. Their own ‘latest release’ happened on the sofa with his fingers exploring her delicate, slick folds, then in the kitchen bent over the countertop as he took her from behind and again in her bed, with slow, sensual caresses and gentle kisses.

His alarm woke her early, he had to relieve the night team on a witness protection detail while she got a couple more hours sleep before the office. As he left, he kissed her on the shoulder and smoothed down her wayward hair with a soft stroke of his warm hand.

Two weeks passed and they were swamped at work. Apart from their customary risqué repartee, they hadn’t really talked, or touched, since the movie night. She wanted him so badly now she had taken to wearing skirts or dresses every day, just in case an opportunity presented itself. She wore matching pretty lingerie too, for him, always for him.

Friday night was team drinks in Ryan’s bar, they had closed a big case involving a dead Navy dentist who was selling opiates, and everyone was out to decompress. Several drinks later Ellie and Nick were in the back of a taxi heading home to her place again, his fingers tracing patterns higher and higher up her bare thigh, his face etched with passion and desire. As his pinkie brushed against her panty lace she sucked in her breath, warmth and wetness welled deep inside, the longing for his touch almost overwhelmed her. She shook her head in exasperation with him, and with herself.

_No, not again Bishop!_

She had to know.

‘So, um, Torres, seeing as _this_ has kinda become a regular thing… something you want to ask me?’. It was a bit of an oblique starter, but she had to know.

‘Huh?’ It was more of a husky hum than a huh, a growl that thrummed within her and revved her internal engine some more. He’d reached his other hand over and was holding her neck, gently tilting her chin up and away with his thumb so he could place butterfly kisses on the sensitive exposed skin of her collar bone then gradually up to her ear. He instinctively knew that was one of her erotic hot spots. Her traitor body wilted as he nibbled on her lobe, her courage leeching away.

‘Well, um, we seem to have skipped some steps along the way, so is there anything you want to ask me…to do... _with_ you maybe?’ her breath came in ragged hisses as her willpower ebbed away.

His lips would be the death of her.

Of course, he took her up wrong, his eyebrows lifting almost to his hairline, a mischievous, sinful gleam in his expresso brown eyes as a finger now slipped inside her underwear.

He still said nothing, _asked_ her nothing.

She pushed his hand away irritably and crossed her legs to crush her own burning desire for him to continue his explorations. She tutted her displeasure loud enough for him to look chastised.

‘That’s all this is, isn’t it?’ she rolled her eyes, and thumped her head against the headrest in vexation, her own naivety suddenly dawning on her.

Over the past couple of years, she had been witness to the steady line of pretty girls he had dated briefly and moved on from. Countless Friday night frolics, notches on the bedpost, playthings he got bored of and promptly upgraded to a new model.

Why did she even fleetingly think _she_ would be any different from the others?

They were about halfway home, nearer his apartment than hers really.

_Fuck this!_

‘Driver can you stop the car please?’ she asked abruptly, her mind made up.

‘You ok El, do you need to get out for some fresh air?’ his face was all concerned now, his hand rubbed the nap of her neck until she pulled away.

‘I’m not getting out Nick, _you_ are!’. Jutting her chin up, she crossed her arms in determination to follow through.

‘ _What_? What’s wrong?’ his voice sounded alarmed rather than angry. She leaned across him indignantly and pulled the taxi door-handle until it swung open.

‘I’m not your toy Nick! Go home!’, she was flustered now, it all seemed so obvious in her head but she was not expressing herself clearly, adding to her boiling frustration.

_I’m a grown woman for god’s sake, you stupid boy!_

‘Ellie _what_ , what have I-?’ Nick was stumbling over his words now, but whatever he was attempting to say wasn’t anything she wanted to hear. He’d had his chance, lots of them, and it hadn’t even occurred to him.

She pushed him out, a look of stunned shock on his face as tears of exasperation and disillusionment burned in her own eyes. Scooching over to his still warm vacated seat, she pulled the door shut with a slam and fixed her eyes straight ahead, politely asking the bored driver to continue to the original destination. She steadfastly refused to look back at Nick left standing on the curb of a deserted 2 am street.

She banged the door of her apartment shut; zero fucks given to Mrs Keating next door who would probably corner her tomorrow to complain about the noise. Kicking off her ankle boots and shrugging off her jacket she poured herself a large vodka cranberry and flopped on the sofa, yeah _that_ sofa where his talented fingers had danced and dived, coaxed and charmed until she saw stars a couple of weeks ago. She could be doing _that_ again right now if she’d kept her mouth shut but typical Ellie, needing to know, to categorise, quantify and understand; she _had_ to ask.

Her phone pinged and automatically she opened the text.

‘Did you get home ok?’ Nick, in fairness to him, always checked in to make sure she got safely home, had done for months even before their recent trysts.

‘Yes’ she texted back, her fingers punching the screen.

‘Are you mad at me?’ _Are you kidding me Torres?_

‘Yes’ was her blunt reply.

‘Have I fucked up?’ He still seemed oblivious, that maddened her more.

‘Yes!’ He’d have to figure it out himself, arrogant idiot.

‘Can I call you?’

 _Oh shit!_ She let that one sit on the phone for a couple of minutes before she made a couple of attempts to respond. He’d see those three dots and know she would eventually send something back. _Fuck!_

‘No, I don’t want to talk to you’. She knew it sounded childish and squirmed on her seat, this was getting awkward.

‘We’re kinda talking now’ winky face.

_I’ll winky face him, infuriating smug bastard of a man!!_

She slammed the phone on the coffee table and covered it with a magazine. It kept pinging but she ignored it, knocking back another gulp of her Cape Cod. But eventually, curiosity killed the cat and she caved.

‘Please Ellie?’

‘Talk to me’

‘Ellie??’

‘I’m going to call, please pick up.’

She knew he wouldn’t stop until she spoke to him, he had previously informed her of a gold medal in annoying persistence that was just one of his _many_ accomplishments.

‘Ok’

She blew out her cheeks in defeat, she just wanted this done now. Rip off the Band-aid, the sting would soon pass.

The phone rang immediately. She felt stupid now, like a dorky teenager instead of an adult woman.

‘Nick, it's late’ she huffed out a breath, getting in first, trying her best to sound dismissive.

‘Ellie, I'm really sorry I upset you’ he blurted out breathlessly. ‘I’m sat here wracking my brains trying to think if I said or did something inappropriate or hurtful or-,’

‘It’s what you _didn’t_ say Nick, what you _didn’t_ do’ she interrupted him trying to keep the conversation on her terms.

_Fuck now it sounds like I’m looking for an admission of everlasting love or something!_

‘Ellie, please just tell me what I’ve done wrong’. His accent was always stronger when he was stressed, it was one of his tells, the low-pitched rumble in his voice started the throbbing down low in her abdomen again.

She ground her teeth together in frustration. It shouldn’t _ever_ have to come to this. Surely, he could have figured this shit out for himself.

 _Gah!_ she was furious!

‘Ellie…please’ he didn’t press her anymore, just waited now while she debated with herself silently.

Her internal temper tantrum, or maybe the half dozen vodkas tonight, had waylaid her attention from his question and the seconds slipped by before she blurted it.

‘Were you _ever_ going to ask me out on a date Nick or is it just about the sex for you?’

_Wow, that came out more bluntly than planned!_

‘I -um…Ellie-,’ he spluttered something incomprehensibly but her horrible embarrassment at having humiliated herself to him just made her angrier. Time to claw back what little dignity she could salvage.

‘Forget it Nick, I get it, look it was fun but-,’ her thumb hovered over the red key.

‘Ellie I’m coming over, I’ll be there in ten minutes’ he cut her off resolutely.

‘Don't bother, it’s late Nick, I'm going to bed’

‘I’m leaving now, Ellie. Ten minutes please’. Was that keys she could hear rattling in the background over his determined voice?

‘Whatever’ she huffed dejectedly. Her nerves were fried, and she was too tired to argue.

She hung up and finished her drink. It tasted sour now, she rinsed the glass and drank back one of cool water. Irritably she stripped off her black, frilly-hemmed wrap dress, the one tug and it falls open type, unclasped her black lace bra and slipped her matching undies off too. All for Nick, all a waste. She pulled on her decidedly _unsexy_ , fluffy mint polka-dot PJs, twisted her carefully curled hair up into a messy bun and stuck a spare chopstick through it to hold it in place.

She had just scrubbed off her makeup with a hot flannel in the bathroom when she heard a soft knock at the door.

_Eight minutes. Guess he really wants to talk!_

Ellie opened the door but held it only a couple of feet wide, bracing it with a stiff arm. She didn’t invite him in.

‘I’m tired Nick, say whatever and go home. This party’s over’ she snapped bitterly.

He glanced at her arm holding the door and nodded, acknowledging his position as _persona non grata_

‘Ellie I-,’

‘Shh’ she hushed him urgently, his voice sounding ridiculously loud in the echoing corridor. She rolled her eyes and tutted in huffy exasperation as she stood back and let him in. She was in no mood for a narky neighbour just now.

Closing the door softly behind her she turned and crossed her arms almost hugging herself.

‘Ellie, I apologise for not asking you out-,’ he must have noted her ‘whatever’ face and adjusted his stance nervously before he continued. ‘But truth is, and please, don’t take this the wrong way, but I never in a million years thought you would want to go out with me, so… I just didn’t bother.’

‘What the-, wait, _why_ would think that?’ his explanation completely stumped her, that was definitely not what she had expected to hear.

‘Ellie you’re… _you_ and and I, I’m just…’

‘Just?’

‘Just not good enough for you, I know I’m punching. I thought you just wanted some fun, like every other girl I’ve been with…’

‘I’m _not_ ‘every other girl’ Nick!’ she snapped in temper, ignoring the compliment he had inadvertently paid her.

‘Oh I know, believe me, I’ve never lo-,’ he forced a rough, throat-clearing cough ‘ _liked_ anyone as much as I like you. And you’re my friend.’

She watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed. It was easier than looking at his eyes which she sensed were roaming over her face. ‘I guess I was just enjoying what we were doing, what I was getting before you kicked my ass to the curb when you met someone…else’

‘So, the sex was enough for you?’ she needed to know, because it sure as hell wasn’t for her.

‘No! not _enough_ , but I thought that’s all you were offering so…’

‘Well, offer withdrawn, effective immediately’ she couldn’t keep the bite from her tone. It was her last line of defence.

‘Fair enough’ his easy acceptance was like a skewer in the heart. Air got trapped in her lungs and she tightened her arms around herself to force herself to breathe.

So they were done…and it hurt, more than she ever thought it would.

‘But’ he continued just a couple of painful seconds later ‘can I resubmit my application with _additional_ supporting evidence of intentions, please?’

A traitorous smile twitched at her lips; the man was an incorrigible, cocky git.

But that was one of the reasons why she loved him.

‘An expression of interest submission _might_ be initially acceptable’ she replied in her best professional tone, struggling to keep a stern face.

‘Noted’ he nodded gravely. ‘In that case, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I am _very_ interested in applying for the _promotion_ should a vacancy for that position still be available’ he added formally, a ghost of a smirk flittered across his features but he kept it in check. He knew he was still on dangerous ground.

‘I’ll bear it in mind going forward’ she nodded sagely, digging her nails into her palms to keep the threatening giggles at bay.

‘If possible, I’d like to discuss your expectations of the long-term career prospects over dinner tomorrow night?’

She made a show of deliberating over his playful offer.

‘I suppose I could glance over your _résumé’_

She unconsciously glanced down at his ‘skillset’ regrettably clothed tonight in well-fitting black jeans that moulded perfectly to his gorgeous ass and heard him tut.

‘The proprieties at all times, Ms. Bishop’ he scolded her.

He was wickedly teasing her now and heat burned her cheeks at being caught having naughty thoughts about him.

‘I’ll be heading home now; I’ll pick you up at 7 tomorrow, if that’s ok?’

‘I’ll um, check my diary, pencil you in if I have an opening. Mr Torres’ she held her breath as he stepped closer to her, her fingers itched to tear that dark grey shirt right off him, she even imagined the pings of the buttons hitting the floor as she ripped it open.

His face was suddenly inches from hers, his eyes burned with a fire that lit her own. Her lips parted to receive his tongue, but she was left disappointed. He leaned in and popped a chaste peck on her forehead.

‘Good night Ellie, sweet dreams’ she could see the smirk through the back of his head as he left.

_God he was annoyingly irresistible._

He picked her up promptly at 7 pm and she was glad she had made an extra effort with her chiffon-sleeved LBD and strappy heels. He was immaculately dressed in a light grey suit and crisp white shirt, the top couple of buttons opened just enough for her to imagine that caramel coloured chest that lay underneath. He had made reservations for them in an elegant, romantic candle-lit Italian restaurant. He held her chair out, asked her open-ended questions about her family, her opinions, listening with interest, encouraging her to share as he did the same.

They laughed and joked too at some of the ridiculous cases they had worked on before they met, and about his complete lack of knowledge regarding all thing nerdy, though he became more interested when she explained Game of Thrones was full of sex between humans and not dragons as he had presumed.

They got a taxi back to her apartment and he surprised her as he asked the driver to wait. Holding her hand, he walked her to her door.

‘Good night Ellie’

‘Aren’t you coming up?’

‘Probably not a good idea’ he answered carefully with a swallow.

Her heart shuddered to a stop.

‘Oh, ok’ she tried not to sound disappointed, but she was gutted he had finished with their dating already, that she wasn't what he wanted

‘Can I take you out on Wednesday?’ he asked shyly, and she felt her heart rise like a phoenix from the ashes.

‘Um yeah, if you want’ her head ducked coyly unable to meet his eyes as her own still burned from unshed tears.

‘Yeah, I want’ he squeezed her hand and brushed his lips over hers, a kiss but not the snog she really wanted.

He waited until she got inside and waved down from her window before getting back into the taxi.

She didn’t see him on Sunday, but her boredom of usual weekend chores was relieved by a regular flow of funny and sweet texts from Nick, randomly peppered with character queries and shocked expletives as he obviously binged on GOT.

Nick was already at his desk before her on Monday and he watched in childlike innocence as a huge bouquet of blush pink peony roses, her favourite flower, were delivered by courier midmorning, in the middle of a team report.

The card only read ‘Today I caught myself smiling for no reason…then I realised I was thinking of you. x’

Her face matched the cerise ribbon festooning the pretty floral cellophane. Gibbs just rolled his eyes, Kasie squealed in delight, Jack casually sucked on one of her damn lollipops and McGee flicked his eyes suspiciously between her and Nick. The fact Nick was not stony-faced at her receiving a romantic gift from a guy probably gave them away.

Tuesday was a heart-shaped cookie on her desk.

Wednesday was tickets to an arthouse cinema showing of the new movie adaptation of _Jane Eyre_ that evening. How he knew she wanted to see that she had no idea, but she was delighted and dazzled him with a smile. Nick had never read the novel so was quite surprised at its passion and dark undertones, going into the film thinking it was probably going to be girlie mush.

As they walked along the street after pizza he even asked if she wanted to go see the showing of _Wuthering Heights_ the following Wednesday night to which she readily agreed.

And so it continued, little treats waiting for her every day on her desk, midweek movies, dinner dates, the theatre, weekend brunches and walks in the park. Sure, he held her hand every chance he got, held her close and kissed her gently, sweetly…

She was going out of her damn mind!!

The unquenchable, burning craving to have his hands grab her hips and thrust himself fully inside her, again and again until the molten lava simmering in her core erupted in an earth-shuddering, tension-relieving cataclysmic explosion was unbearable.

She upped her game.

She suggested they go to a Cuban bar knowing the place heaved with dancers enjoying late-night, rum and tequila fuelled, sexy salsa beats. She spent the night matching him drink for drink and brushing herself shamelessly against his body on the dancefloor, pulling out every teasing, saucy move she knew. Her deep red dress was more appropriate for summer than autumn but with his hands on her, her skin scorched anyway. She caught him rolling his eyes heavenward, heard the whisper of his muttered prayers as she let her hands frisk his ass accidentally whilst dancing. He couldn’t hide his rapidly expanding fly area, his eyes darkened as she rolled her tongue over her lime-soaked bottom lip and held it with her teeth, and she smiled in triumph.

But no, despite her very best efforts, she got her passionate kiss at her door and she crawled into bed disappointed and alone.

She tried licking lollipops provocatively at her desk, dropped a hand on his thigh under the table at a meeting almost making him choke on the water he was sipping. She even wiped away mustard from his cheek with her index finger and sucked the sauce off, letting her lips make a pop as she slowly drew the fingertip out of her mouth. She thought he looked a little mottled at that point he had held his breath for so long.

Final straw was Friday night, she was so tetchy with built-up agitation that she burned her neck with her curling iron. Nick noticed the reddened blister almost immediately after they sat down at their table, his warm hand pulling back her hair to look at it closer.

‘Ouch! You put anything on it?’

‘Ah, a little burn ointment, it’ll be fine.’

He fished out a cube of ice from his glass of water and moving closer he held it gently against the wound, she flinched a little but he cooed whispered calming Spanish words in her ear and she melted faster than the ice in his hand.

Taking the ice away he blew a cooling breath over her stinging skin, on her neck, that delicate, super- sensitive network of nerve endings that pushed _all_ her buttons.

She clenched her jaw trying to control her anticipatory arousal and formulate words.

She should have tried harder.

‘Torres, if you don’t take me home and fuck me right now I’m going to…’

Wow, she heard that on the outside of her head.

So did the couple at the next table.

Nick sat frozen in shock.

Ellie needed the earth to swallow her up. She hastily grabbed her bag and exited the restaurant and got as far as the corner of the street before Nick caught up.

‘Ellie, wait up!’

Mortification seared through her, she needed to just get away.

‘Can we talk about what just happened?’ his hand clasped her elbow as he tried unsuccessfully to turn her around to face him.

She tucked her hair back behind her ears in agitation and flung her arms wildly about her emphasizing her crazy loss of control.

‘Nothing just happened Nick, _nothing_ , just like every other lovely, perfect time we’ve been out together. You're doing exactly what I asked you and I’m going _nuts_ ok!’

‘What’s wrong Ellie, can I do anything to help?’

‘You’ve got to be _kidding_ me Nick!’ she exclaimed taken aback.

‘Tell me’ he pleaded softly, he had her locked in his arms now and no matter how much she squirmed he was right there in from of her.

‘Are you ever going to have sex with me again?’ she asked plaintively, her eyes fixed on the pink glittery nail polish on her toes.

‘That would be a hard no’ he answered firmly.

‘ _What?_ ’ her head whipped up so fast he had to duck back to avoid getting chinned by her forehead.

‘Nope’ his lips popped on the ‘p’ as he shook his head.

‘But why go out with me then?’ she felt her eyes prick with tears, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she drew in a sharp hiss. ‘Was this all some kind of elaborate game or something?’ she roughly pushed his arms away from her and took a step back, her mouth fell open in horror.

‘Ellie _stop_ , it’s not a game or whatever horrible thing you're thinking, I can read you like a book’

‘Clearly not!’ she fumed, her hands up defensively. But he took a step towards her and closed the gap and held her shaking hands in his own.

‘Ellie, I don’t want to have _sex_ with you _ever_ again. I want to make love with you always, constantly, forever, on repeat. Because I _love_ you and I was waiting to tell you that, hoping you might feel the same so that I could show you how much I really, _really_ , desperately, want to make love to you, with you, be inside you… Christ I can barely _breathe_ most days thinking about being with you again!’

‘So why didn’t you, I’ve been throwing myself at you for weeks’ she asked in exasperation.

‘I was afraid’ he said simply, ‘that you didn’t _feel_ the same way about me or maybe you did and that’s all _very_ real because if we do this, it’s forever Ellie. I can’t _not_ be in your life, be in your bed, be in you as often as I can possibly be because you are in my heart always. I need to know I have your love not just your… lust’

‘Ok’

‘Ok like ok yes, or ok you’ll think about what I’ve said?’

‘I don’t need to think about it Nick, I’ve been in love with you for months, longer, way before the garden party’, she saw a smile burst across his face. ‘Yeah, that incident was pure _lust,_ but I only wanted you so badly because I loved you and that night you finally showed an interest in me.’

He swallowed and she swore his voice cracked at the next part, ‘I’ve always shown interest in you Ellie’

‘As a friend maybe but Nick you flirt with everyone, you dated other women all the time, we hung out together loads before and you never even touched me accidentally-,’

‘Because I _wanted_ you and I didn’t know what to do about that!’ he argued back heatedly, running his hands through his hair so that it spiked up rather sexily in her opinion.

‘Are we actually fighting over who wanted the other more?’

‘We’re not fighting Ellie’.

‘Then can we focus on the _we love each_ _other_ part?’

‘Yeah, we can do that’ he mumbled with a bashful look that showed her the big-hearted, romantic fool that lived under all the bravado.

‘I should probably let you know then you’ve just been hired to the _permanent_ position of _joint_ company director’.

‘Can I get that in writing, before witnesses maybe?’ he cheekily peeked up at her with one eye closed.

‘I think that might be agreeable, always nice to get things formalised’ she had to squint to keep a straight face now, _had he just asked her to marry him?_

‘Maybe some mini shareholders in the future?’ _And kids, ok!_

‘So, we’re a manufacturing business now?’ she laughed nervously realising she was rapidly losing herself in his almost black eyes.

‘If you want’ he spoke softly, brushing his rough thumbs against her cheeks now, as he held her head in the palms of his hands. She threaded her arms around his waist, tucking her fingers inside the waistband of his jeans at the small of his back, his jacket hiding the intimacy of the touch from the other pedestrians walking by them on the busy Friday evening street.

‘I want, Nick’ she replied confidently. His breath seemed to stutter in his lungs before he let it go, she could feel the tension draining from his body and her own.

And they kissed. A soft kiss full of promises and wished-for dreams that rapidly became a panting, exploring, not for the public street expression of their newly-declared but long-felt love.

‘Can we go home now, please? I’m just saying if we don’t, I’m going to start looking for a stairwell’

‘Now that’s just teasing!’ he chortled impishly.

‘No, _teasing_ is when you dangle the dream and take it away, Torres, and I’m not kidding, home now!’

‘You're so bossy Bishop, I like it’

‘You ain’t seen nothing yet!’

A feral growl escaped his chest as she squeezed his butt cheeks from her hidden hands' position.

The whole street heard them shout ‘TAXI !’ simultaneously.


End file.
